We were picked up at the 'airport' and taken to our accomodations. We were staying at Matei Point a place on the Northern tip of the island of Taveuni...it is a very special place, you can see the sunrise and sunset from the property! We had rented out 3 Bures (cottages) and a house all on the same property. We had the entire place to ourselves the managers, Pita and Lo and their family took VERY good care of us!

The first thing we all did was put on our swim suits and dive into the ocean (after I fell on the rocks and banged up my wrist) the water was SO warm and clear. Laura and Josh took the kayaks out later in the day and went snorkling on the reef just offshore. They came back a couple of hours later sunburnt and raving about all of the amazing fish, and bright blue sea stars that they saw.
On Sunday we attented a service at the Wairiki Mission...in Fijian. The singing was absolutly AMAZING. Everyone in the chruch would errupt into song every couple of minutes and it would fill the air with such an amazing sound.

The one thing that we consistantly observed while on Taveuni was the generosity and kindness of the people. Everyone was so willing to help us, and EVERYONE greets you with a big smile and Bula! (hello) everywhere you go.

Monday morning Jim and I went down to the 'state office' (more like a tiny shack) to get our marriage license...after waiting for a couple of hours (she faxed the info. to the main island and they faxed a license back) we payed our $20 fijian dollars and had our license.

Our friend Deborah arrived Monday morning (hurray!) from New York, exhausted, but happy to thaw out in the Fijian sun. Later we all hopped into our minibus and went to the 180th parallel...aka the site of the international dateline...well, the previous site anyhow, they have moved it so that it doesn't bisect an island. After taking pictures we headed over to Bouma Falls Park. After a short hike we arrived at a huge gushing waterfall, it was so hot that all of us jumped in for a swim and tried swimming unter the waterfall! While walking back we met a local woman, Maria, who took her huge machete and showed us all how to open a coconut, she also showed us the different plants that grow in that area, Taro root is the island's main cash crop, and they also grow a lot of Kava.

Matei Point

Mass at the Wairiki Mission